Container conveyer and disteibutor



July 25, 1.939. c. N. BERGMANN CONTAINER CONVEYER AND DISTRIBUTOR Filed March 5l, 1958 .mwll nm, N

IN VEN TOR.

A TTORNEY t Patented Jalyzs, 1939 of two-sixths to Charles M. Clarke, Sewickley.

Application Marchal, 193s, semi No. 199,139,4 is claim.. (ci. lss-s1) My invention is an improvement in distributing kconveyers for containers such as bottles, cans, or

the-li.ke. t 1

It is particularly Vadapted to thev art of conveying cylindrical units, as milk bottles, from a single 'supply source to a plurality,vas two, delivery destinations or stations, by distributing a single row or stream of such units byplural receiving'and supply conveyers.

'Ihe linvention has in view to accomplish such distribution automatically by` means/of a single,

y or substantially single, main conveyer and one cr more laterally .disposed 'branch conveyers communicating therewith, whereby the main coni#- ll veyer and lateral conveyer are both operative to carry to` two'ilnal delivery or receiving stations portionsl only oi' the primary or initialk supply row or stream. l

The invention provides for distribution kby v c and from a main conveyerto a plurality, as two,

of delivery conveyers leading to corresponding receiving stations. I

I accomplish these objects by so combining withthe main conveyer one orfa plurality of $8 branch conveyers having junction relation with the main conveyer, with transfer assisting and lguiding means effecting appropriate and desired selectivity of the units from the main row for movement along the delivery paths.

In the construction of my invention I utilize main and supplemental conveyers of the general :type of those disclosed in my prior Patents No. v2,103,107 and 2,108,522, but dispensing with the star wheels of the latter. y y

a5 In the drawing illustrating different embodiments of the invention, in somewhat diagrammatic form: y

Fig, l is a plan view showing the junction of aA pair vof longitudinal side by side conveyers and a laterally arranged branch conveyer;

Fig. 2 is a similar view` showing 'an vobvious as a washing machine, to a plurality of subsef quent stations and operations, as inv filling the bottles or containers.

The main trackway A, of conventional `form,

consists of a'double line :of ilat tcp conveyer flights 2 having the usual flexibly connected supporting links, carried andr driven by standard sprockets and power imparting means, not necessarily herein described.

As shown, the pair of plural unit flights 2 are closely adjacent or side by side,r running at any selected uniform' speed, and-adapted to support the bottles or other cylindrical units 3 midway by the inner portions of the nights, as

shown.

such double une of mghts thus constitute ini eiect a main one` way conveyer supporting the units in transfer on a substantially middle line.

'Ihe supplemental or lateral trackway B ein bodies a'single line of ,similar ilights 2 having its receiving end terminating as closely adjacent to the near sidel of the main conveyer as practicable, with an intervening bridge plate 4 of suitable construction, on a common level with both.

' guiding relation to the units and at each side of the flights f2 thereof, as shown.

Such lateral guide rails are connected with and'form extensions of the adjacent guide rails'i of the main trackway, with rounded connection l asat 6 at the receiving side, as indicated by the direction arrows.

At the other side of the entrance opening of trackway B opposite connection 6 the guide rail 5 of the lateral trackwayA is extended across'the main trackwayfA bya prong or fender 1 suiliciently far to engage and deilect inwardly certain ones of the y*oncoming units to cause them to enter the receiving throat oi' the lateral conveyer B. f

supporting Such prong extension, as shown, is in the same general direction of trackway B andsubstantially parallel with the outer guide rail, to form a unit Y directing guideextension for units to be directed intofrackway B.

For the purpose of providing clearance around the fender 'land guiding control of other alterlhating units, not thusv selected for entrance onto the lateral conveyer, the opposite guide rail I of the main trackway is bowed outwardly as at l It also utilizes a supplemental conveyer A? of the same general kind, which may be comparatively short as toits active length, with an intervening bridge plate 4b. Conveyer AI is located beyond and sunlciently. close to the main conveyer A1 for imparting movement to the units in their passage outwardly around prong l and back to the main conveyer, beyondthe junction with the lateral conveyer.

Such supplemental conveyer A2 and its nights 2 are similarly supported and driven at substantially the same speed as the main conveyer, and

imparts such forward movement to the units as they pass around within the outwardly bowed -guide l. Said guide has rounded connections 9,

8, with the outer guide rail 5, the construction and operation otherwise being substantially the same as in the case of the double night series of Fig. 1.

In either of such constructions the units I pass along, as by either the double or single night main conveyer, toward the junction with the lateral conveyer B or B1. On making con- A tact by one unit with the prong 1, such unit and fouowing units win be deflected into trackway B until, due to retardation of operation,

the last unit arrested by the prong will be temporarily stopped or slowed down. The next oncoming unit in contact with such last unit will be forced outwardly, assuming the rounded bypass path as controlled by the guide l. The next oncoming unit tends to force both units onwardly, one toward the receiving throat of the lateral conveyer and the followingl unit outwardly towards guide l. Or if such retardation continues the stream may be deflected around the by-pass until the retardation in trackway B is dissipated. Such conditions may exist at times as to either trackway.

Such operation continues in the same way, whereby the units of the main stream will alternately be delivered to the lateral conveyer and around through the by-pass arcuate route, and eventually back onto the main conveyer, normally dividing the main stream into substantially equal separated portions, or such fractional portions as correspond to the receiving capacity of each delivery station. As propelled by the main double line conveyer of Fig. 1, or assisted by the supplemental conveyer A oi Fig. 2, and in connection with the comparatively short bridge plates I, la; and lb, the units will passonwardly to both destinations for delivery to suitable receiving stations as stated.

In the construction or Fig. 3 is shown a combination with main conveyer Aa of the same genably formed corner connections i', i'or distribution to both lateral conveyers for opposltely moving distribution. In such case the units moving along the main stream pass over nrst bridge plate 4 onto the receiving end of conveyer Ba with further movement or alternating or4 overnow unitsclear across `said. conveyer and over the second bridge plate Ic, onto the strands, or oppositely running conveyer B1. The action ofthe units; together with their alternating movement is similarly indicated, and the direction o! movement is also clearly shown by the several arrows.

In the 'arrangement shown in Fig. 4 the construction is generally similar, except that the stream ofv units of the primary or main conveyer A4 passes across the nrst bridge plate 4 onto the receiving end of a nrst lateral conveyer B* by formed connecting guide rails 6" for easy fending and guiding movement of the units, in the same general manner previously described as to the other arrangements.

The distribution of bottles ordinarily involves the necessity of dividing a main stream for travel in various directions and to varying distance terminals, as is generally understood in the art of dairy or other similar practices.

In any of the several constructions and arrangements above described, it will be observed that the movement of the units in connection with the several conveyer me'mbers and'the associated guiding and directing means is entirely automatic and dispenses with the usual necessary attention of operatives at the junctions.

It will also be understood that the speed of the several conveyer members for the different trackways is subject to adjustment as to acceleration or retardation, dependent on the main or fractional load being carried, and various conditions of utilization and application. Also, that all such various requirements of practice are subject to control by the designer or builder, and must be adapted to suit the particular use conditions of any installation utilizing either of the several constructions or arrangements shown.

What I claim is:

1. In combination, a main conveyer for unit transfer support, a lateral conveyer having an entrance throat communicating therewith on the same horizontal plane. and interconnecting beyond it opposite the entrance throat of the lateral conveyer, and a nxed denecting prong extending across the normal middle transfer path Y ofthe main conveyer towards the rounded guide.

2. In combination, a main conveyer comprising a'double'night pair for midway unit transfer support, a lateral conveyer havingan entrance throat communicating therewith on the same plane, and interconnecting nanking guides for directing and maintaining units in transfer along and upon the double night main conveyer and the lateral conveyer respectively, one or the guides' of the main conveyer being rounded outwardly beyond one of its pair opposite the entrance veyers including an outwardly bowed by-pass aleman throat of the lateral conveyer, and a deflecting prong extending across the normal middle transfer path of the main conveyer towards the rounded guide.

3. In combination, a main conveyer comprising a double flight pair for midway unit transfer support, a lateral conveyer having an entrance throat communicating therewith on the same plane, and interconnecting flanking guides for directing and maintaining umts in transfer along and upon the double flight main conveyer and the lateral conveyerv respectively, one of the guides of the main conveyer being rounded outwardly beyond one of its pair opposite the entrance throat ci the lateral conveyer, a deflecting prong extending across the normal middle transfer path of the main conveyer towards the rounded guide, anda bridge plate for supporting -units in their passage around the deflecting prong.

4. In combination, a double conveyer having side by side sections running in the same direction, a lateral conveyer communicating therewith on the same horizontal plane, and guiding means for temporarily diverting conveyed units towards the lateral conveyer and outwardly around and beyond its junction with one of the sections' of said double conveyer onto the companion section.

5. In combination, a main longitudinal conveyer, a lateral cdnveyer communicating therewith on the same plane, a supplemental longitudinal conveyer beyond the main conveyer and running in the same direction therewith, and guiding means for diverting units carried by the main conveyer towards and onto the supplemental conveyer and the lateral conveyer respectively.

6. In combination, a main longitudinal conveyer, a lateral conveyer communicating therewith on the same plane, a supplemental longitudinal conveyer 'beyond the main conveyer and running inthe same direction therewith, and guiding means for diverting units carried by the mainV conveyer towards and onto the supplemental conveyer and the lateral conveyer including an arresting prong at one side of the lateral conveyer extending into the transfer path of the main conveyer.

. 7. In combination, a main longitudinal conveyer, a lateral conveyer communicating therewith on the same, plane, afsupplemental longitudinal conveyer -beyond and parallel with the main conveyer opposite its Junction with the lateral conveyer, and guiding means for diverting units carried by the main conveyer towards and onto the supplemental conveyer with return to the main conveyer and cnto the lateral conveyer respectively.

8. In combination, a main conveyer, a lateral diverging conveyer communicating therewith on the same plane, a supplemental conveyer beyond the main conveyer parallel therewith and mov- Aable in the same direction, unit movement directing guides flanking the main and lateral consection extending beyond the main conveyer over the supplemental conveyer and back to the main conveyer, and a fixed unit arresting and fending prong extending aty one side of the lateral conveyer into the transfer path of the main conveyer.

9. In combination, a main conveyer, a lateral diverging conveyer communicating therewith on the same plane, a supplemental conveyer beyond the main conveyer parallel therewith and movable in the same direction, unit movement directing guides flanking the main and lateral conveyers including an outwardly bowed by-pass section extending beyondthe main conveyer over the supplemental conveyer and back to the main conveyer, a fixed unit arresting and fending prong extending at one side of the lateral conveyer into the transfer pathof the main conveyer, and a unit supporting bridge plate between the lateral and main conveyers.

10. In combination, a continuous main conveyer for unit transfer support, a lateral conveyer having an entrance throat' communicating therewith on the same horizontal plane, and interconnecting flanking guides for directing and maintaining units in transfer along and upon the main conveyer and the'lateral conveyer respectively, one of the guides of the main conveyer being rounded outwardly beyond and opposite the entrancevthroat of the lateral conveyer, and a fixed dei'lecting prong extending across the normal middle transfer path of the main conveyer towards the rounded guide.v

11. In combination, a main conveyer, a lateral diverging receiving conveyer communicating therewith on the same horizontal plane, interconnecting flanking guides therefor, and a fixed deiiecting prong extending partway across the main conveyer for directing and maintaining units in transfer along and upon the main and lateral conveyers respectively and so designed as to provide a communicating receiving throat passage between the main and lateral conveyers.

12. In combination, a main conveyer, a lateral diverging receiving conveyer communicating therewith on the same horizontal plane, interconnecting anking guides therefor, and a fixed deiiecting prong extending partway across the main conveyer for directing and maintaining units in transfer along and upon the main and lateral coveyers respectively. one of said guidesbeing rounded outwardly beyond and with reverse returnto the main conveyer opposite'the receiving portion of the lateral conveyer. Y

13. In combination, a main conveyer, a lateral diverging conveyer communicating therewith on the same. horizontal plane, fixed guiding means 

